Charlie Parr, Willie Watson co-headline Rialto show late this month

The Rialto has plenty of entertainment for music-lovers ahead of the holiday season! The historic theater brings an exciting lineup of top-tier talent from around the country to its event space in Downtown Bozeman. Here’s a look at just a few of the upcoming happenings.
Celebrated songsmith Jeffrey Foucault performs on Thursday, November 15th with indie duo Dusty Heart opening at 8:30pm. Tickets to this 21+ show are $23. Doors at 7:30pm.
In two decades on the road Foucault has become one of the most distinctive voices in American music, refining a sound instantly recognizable for its simplicity and emotional power, a decidedly Midwestern amalgam of blues, country, rock ‘n’ roll, and folk. He’s built a brick-and-mortar international touring career on multiple studio albums, countless miles, and general critical acclaim, being lauded for “Stark, literate songs that are as wide open as the landscape of his native Midwest” (The New Yorker), and described as “Quietly brilliant” (The Irish Times), while catching the ear of everyone from Van Dyke Parks to Greil Marcus, to Don Henley, who regularly covers Foucault in his live set. Touring in support of his recently released album, Blood Brothers is the sixth collection of original songs in a career remarkable for an unrelenting dedication to craft, and independence from trend.
Charlie Parr returns to Bozeman with Willie Watson for a joint show on Tuesday, November 27th at 8:30pm. Tickets to this 18+ show are $15. Doors at 7:30pm.
Fans who have been following Charlie Parr through his previous 13 full-length albums and decades of nonstop touring already know that the Duluth-based songwriter has a way of carving a path straight to the gut. In Dog, his latest release, Charlie turns from contemplating his inner struggles to examining his connection to other living creatures. The album’s title track and the blistering “Another Dog” were inspired by some of the lessons he’s learned from his own pet, and wondering about the way dogs interact with humans and the outside world.
“I have a dog, her name is Ruby but I call her Ruben, and we go for these long, crazy, chaotic walks,” Charlie says. “Because I decided a long time ago that I get along really well with this dog, and I was taking her for walks, and she wanted to go this way, and I wanted to go that way. And then I thought, why are we going to go this way and not that way? Maybe I should be the one getting walked. Maybe I’ll learn something. So I follow the dog.”
Despite the album’s darker moments, the listener is left hearing Charlie in a more optimistic and defiant headspace, reflecting on how far he’s come – and how content he is to accept that some things are simply unknowable.
For nearly two decades, Willie Watson has made modern folk music rooted in older traditions. He’s a folksinger in the classic sense: a singer, storyteller, and traveller, with a catalog of songs that bridge the gap between the past and present. On Folksinger Vol. 2, his latest album, he acts as a modern interpreter of older songs, passing along his own version of the music that came long before him.
Southern gospel. Railroad songs. Delta blues. Irish fiddle tunes. Appalachian music. Folksinger Vol. 2 makes room for it all. The album carries on a rich tradition in folk music: the sharing and swapping of old songs. Long ago, the 11 compositions that appear on Folksinger Vol. 2 were popularized by artists like Leadbelly, Reverend Gary Davis, Furry Lewis, and Bascom Lamar Lunsford. The songs don’t actually belong to those artists, though. They don’t belong to anyone. Instead, they’re part of the folk canon, passed from generation to generation by singers like Watson.
Enjoy A Night of Comedy in the Light Box with Jesse Joyce on Friday, November 30th. Fellow comedians Jeffrey Strock, Danielle Rovira, Jennifer Jane, Garrison Choitz and Deece Casillas will start the evening off at 8pm. Tickets to this 18+ show are $15. Doors at 7pm.
Check out art-inspired event Stettie Ruth on Wednesday, December 5th at 6pm. Tickets for the evening are $25. Stettie Ruth is a roving, ever-changing and hand-curated show of art displayed in unique non-gallery spaces that are featured in a quarterly salon event. Art features prominently along with a catered menu and wine. At every event, a guest speaker of varying disciplines (Art, Science, Politics, Activism, Literature etc) will present for thirty minutes. The one-night show is a stimulus for attendees to purchase original art and support emerging and established artists. This dynamic gathering is designed for participants to experience art in living environments, where life happens and ideas flow.
The Rialto is located at 10 W Main St. in the center of historic Downtown Bozeman. Get further acquainted with Southwest Montana’s favorite new event space at www.rialtobozeman.com, where you can also peruse current happenings and buy advance tickets. Follow the Rialto on Facebook (@therialto) for the most up to date event announcements.